Science | Offham Primary School

Our curriculum intent for Science

At Offham Primary School we provide a high-quality science education that gives the children the foundations to enable them to make sense of and understand the world around them. Science changes the world that we live in and is vital to the worlds future. Through building on their knowledge, using a rich curriculum, our pupils will begin to explain and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. We aim to teach children at Offham all the vital aspects of knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science through practical investigative lessons.

Teaching and learning in Science (implementation)

Offham School implement their curriculum by teachers creating a positive attitude to science learning within the classroom and outside setting. There is always a high expectation of all children achieving their potential.

Science is taught in planned and arranged topic blocks over a period of a week where a minimum of 10 hours of science will be taught to both KS1 and KS2. Through this planning, we include problem solving and questioning opportunities. Children will be given the opportunity to use their developing scientific skills to research and discover answer and develop further questions. Curiosity will be celebrated within the classroom and across the school. Planning will involve engaging and exciting lessons involving high quality resources to support our children’s learning. Teachers find opportunities to develop children’s understanding of their surroundings by accessing outdoor learning workshops with local experts. To support children’s learning children will have the opportunity to learn and be taught in both mixed-ability pairs/group work as well as making individual choices and opportunities to test their ideas with real materials etc. Children will receive support through differentiated scaffolding and quality first teaching.

Where possible children will be given extra-curricular opportunities for activities such as: visits, trips, visitors that link to and broaden the engaging curriculum.

At Offham School we hold science week which allows all pupils to come off timetable and dive into a scientific problem. Whenever possible children will take their learning outside and make links to the world around them.

Policies and progression of skills documents

Science week at Offham

The intended impact of Science teaching and learning at Offham

At Offham we aim that, by the time they leave our school, our children will have a strong foundation and confidence into scientific enquiry and understanding.

This will be evident through;

A scientific understanding underpinned by high levels of scientific vocabulary, understanding, questioning and exploration.
A clear understanding of how an investigation/enquiry should be structured and carried out.
An excellent understanding of how science is everywhere around us from the things that we use every day to the development of medicines and machinery etc.
The ability to give precise written and verbal explanations, using scientific terminology effectively, accurately and appropriately.
A passion for and commitment to scientific enquiry and exploration.

How can I support my child in science?

1. Be interested

Find out their termly topics (This information should be available on the school’s website) and take an interest — find relevant books in the library or bookshop, do some research, brush up your own knowledge about the topic! Then you can have interesting conversations where you are both learning at the same time.

2. Take a trip

Why not take a trip to a science museum, a zoo or an aquarium? These don’t necessarily need to be completely related to what they are learning about at school. Any visit can help their curiosity and engagement with science generally.

3. Make it personal

Find out about famous scientists and research unique and exciting inventions up to and including the present day. Who knows, you may have the next Stephen Hawking or Marie Curie at home!

4. Get hands-on

Look up fun, practical science experiments you can do at home with everyday objects.

For example:

Ask ‘What happens when you mix food colouring in milk?’ Then add washing up liquid and watch what happens.
Why not try making your own mini exploding volcano? Just add bicarbonate of soda, food colouring, washing up liquid and vinegar. Then stand back and watch the eruption!
Cooking is also a great opportunity to mix ingredients, add heat and examine changing states.
Try exploring changing states with ice and water to begin to see those changes that can be reversed and those that can’t.
A real favourite would have to be ‘gloop’ — use water and cornflour (add food colouring too if needed) to explore solids and liquids. Just be prepared to get messy!
Of course, there are also some wonderful science kits available to buy to push your scientists further – making crystals, rockets and even bouncy balls.

Anything where they can be hands-on and see the science happen in front of their eyes is guaranteed to be get them interested.

Further support and useful web links

The National Curriculum for science
for video clips and activities
The Science Museum for information, games etc.
The Children’s University of Manchester Science pages
The Royal Institute’s annual Christmas lectures make science real for children and are available online, along with lots of other educational goodies
National Geographic Kids